Tag Archives: Revolution

The real 99% isn’t even human. Think there’s an evil elite and everybody else is innocent victim-pie? That’s not even cute on Saturday morning cartoons. We are all complicit. Everything eats and is eaten. Bert sez: Food is the first thing mortals follow on. And that’s where it begins…

Photo Gay Highwaymen from a poster seen on Market Street in San Francisco

A wounded protester is rushed to a field hospital near Tahrir Square during clashes with Egyptian riot police in Cairo, on November 20, 2011. (Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)

The people want a civilian government. The military? Not so much. Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss? From the campuses of the University of California to the streets of Cairo, 2011 has been a year of teargas and blood. And the beat goes on. More photos from Tahrir Square here.

When Hawaiian guitarist and singer Makana took the stage at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation gala dinner in Honolulu on November 12th, the audience expected instrumental background music. They got more than they expected.

Attendees at the hyper-secure dinner, which capped a summit of world leaders “included Presidents Barack Obama of the United States of America, Hu Jintao of China, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, and over a dozen other heads of state.”

Makana proceeded to unbutton his suit jacket to reveal a home-made “Occupy With Aloha” t-shirt, pick up his guitar, and spend the next 45 minutes singing a very extended version of his freshly-pressed protest song “We are the Many.” According to The Yes Lab, who together with Occupy the Board Room, provided strategic assistance to the performer: “In recent weeks, Occupy protesters have been showing up at corporate events, headquarters and even on the doorsteps of those in power. Makana really raised the bar by delivering the Occupy message inside what is probably the most secure place on the planet right now.”

Makana never expected to be allowed to continue, but the objections he anticipated never came. He recounts his trepidation: “I found it odd that I was afraid to sing a song I’d written, especially since I’d written it with these people in mind. I just kept doing different versions. I must’ve repeated ‘the bidding of the many, not the few’ at least 50 times, like a mantra. It was surreal and sobering.” The ballad includes the refrain: “We’ll occupy the streets. We’ll occupy the courts. We’ll occupy the offices of you. Till you do. The bidding of the many, not the few” For complete lyrics, plus video and more, click here.

An Occupy Wall Street protestor is arrested during a march on Broadway, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011, in New York, after police ordered demonstrators to leave their encampment in Zuccotti Park. At about 1 a.m. Tuesday, police handed out notices from the park’s owner, Brookfield Office Properties, and the city saying that the park had to be cleared because it had become unsanitary and hazardous. Protesters were told they could return, but without sleeping bags, tarps or tents. via Sacramento Bee. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Joey, 19, is from Brooklyn and is an art student at Pratt. He spoke to the We Are the Youth project about his new hobby: “I’ve been going down to Zuccotti Park at least once a week. My friends and I go there and yell so loud and so much that I’ve been losing my voice a lot. I’m trying to get other people active and not feel apathetic toward it. I’ve been beating myself up a little bit for not going more, but midterms happen…” Don’t beat yourself up, Joey! That’s the job of the riot police. More from Joey here.

In this photo taken Oct. 25, 2011, 24-year-old Iraq War veteran Scott Olsen lays on the ground bleeding from a head wound after being struck by a by a projectile during an Occupy Wall Street protest in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Jay Finneburgh)

On the eve of a General Strike in Oakland, California Marine Veteran Scott Olsen is recovering from critical head injuries sustained at the hands of the police, who had been ordered by Mayor Jean Quan to break up the ongoing Occupy Oakland encampment. Internet freedom fighters Anonymous sent him an anonymous, text-based get-well video in which they condemned the police action, saying: “The honor and courage you have displayed on the battlefield is only overshadowed by the cowardice and dishonor displayed by those who have committed these inhumane crimes against you.” Meantime, Oakland Police have expressed frustration with the apparently mixed messages coming from City Hall.

In an open letter to the citizens of Oakland released earlier today, the Oakland Police Officers Association stated:

We represent the 645 police officers who work hard every day to protect the citizens of Oakland. We, too, are the 99% fighting for better working conditions, fair treatment and the ability to provide a living for our children and families. We are severely understaffed with many City beats remaining unprotected by police during the day and evening hours.

As your police officers, we are confused.

On Tuesday, October 25th, we were ordered by Mayor Quan to clear out the encampments at Frank Ogawa Plaza and to keep protesters out of the Plaza. We performed the job that the Mayor’s Administration asked us to do, being fully aware that past protests in Oakland have resulted in rioting, violence and destruction of property.

Then, on Wednesday, October 26th, the Mayor allowed protesters back in – to camp out at the very place they were evacuated from the day before.

To add to the confusion, the Administration issued a memo on Friday, October 28th to all City workers in support of the “Stop Work” strike scheduled for Wednesday, giving all employees, except for police officers, permission to take the day off.

That’s hundreds of City workers encouraged to take off work to participate in the protest against “the establishment.” But aren’t the Mayor and her Administration part of the establishment they are paying City employees to protest? Is it the City’s intention to have City employees on both sides of a skirmish line?

It is all very confusing to us.

Meanwhile, a message has been sent to all police officers: Everyone, including those who have the day off, must show up for work on Wednesday. This is also being paid for by Oakland taxpayers. Last week’s events alone cost Oakland taxpayers over $1 million.

The Mayor and her Administration are beefing up police presence for Wednesday’s work strike they are encouraging and even “staffing,” spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for additional police presence – at a time when the Mayor is also asking Oakland residents to vote on an $80 parcel tax to bail out the City’s failing finances.

All of these mixed messages are confusing.

We love Oakland and just want to do our jobs to protect Oakland residents. We respectfully ask the citizens of Oakland to join us in demanding that our City officials, including Mayor Quan, make sound decisions and take responsibility for these decisions. Oakland is struggling – we need real leaders NOW who will step up and lead – not send mixed messages. Thank you for listening.